Seeing Andrew Lloyd Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA on Broadway over 20 years ago was a highlight of my young adulthood. When I saw it on Broadway, I loved the music, the costumes, the set, the magic. The CD traveled with me across several continents as a young woman, and I never got the show out of my mind.
When I was offered a pair of tickets to see the show, which is now celebrating its 25th anniversary, I was admittedly excited to take my 11 year-old daughter. To relive this musical with my first born was incredibly important to me as it was an important part of my life once upon a time. The show has a new cast starring Norm Lewis and Sierra Boggess, as the new Phantom and Christine, and I was eager to hear and watch them…and be swept away.
PHANTOM is actually the longest-running show in Broadway history. On January 9th, 2006, it surpassed the then-record 7,485 performance run of Cats.) Based on the classic novel by Gaston Leroux, the show tells the story of a masked figure (played by Hugh Panaro) who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine (played exquisitely by Mary Michael Patterson), and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command.
The cast stands out musically. The two newcomers are true artistes and their duets were both beautiful and haunting. I felt just as conflicted about the Phantom as I did 20 years ago. Do you loathe him? Do you hate him? Do you feel sorry for him? Do you want them together? Me? Yes, I did.
The show hasn’t changed much in the last 25 years but I wouldn’t really want it to. It’s the total Broadway experience, just as much as it was then, and I was every bit on the end of my seat today. So was my daughter. And that’s a very good thing! We were at the Paris Opera House a few summers ago, and her recollection of that experience helped her follow the story, which is slightly complex but important musically nonetheless. Some shows go on this long for a reason and PHANTOM is one.
Win a Pair of Tickets
Do you have an artistic side you’ve been dying to show the world? Set it free with the PHANTOM: The Art of the Mask Contest. Using PHANTOM‘s iconic mask as your canvas, create your very own work of art–your imagination’s the limit! You may even have your work showcased at the PHANTOM Art Gallery and Pop-Up Shop in NYC at the end of October! Click below for full details. Head here for more details: bit.ly/MaskArt. Five finalists will receive a voucher to attend a performance of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Tickets may be used on a Tuesday (7pm), Wednesday (8pm), Thursday (2pm), or Thursday (8pm) performance commencing September 9, 2013 through December 18, 2014 or January 13, 2015 through February 26, 2015).
Disclosure: I was given two complimentary tickets to review this play but all opinions are my own.
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I would LOVE to see this on Broadway! I know I’ve seen bits & pieces before, but I can’t remember where or when. But Broadway I would never forget!
My drama teacher daughter would love this play. She would love to make a mask too.
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I bet this was and is a magical memory to make. I love how no matter how many times you go to see the same play, it is always a different experience.